Water bottles to put a healthy cap on dehydration

Sure, you take your hydration seriously but it’s time to ditch the misshapen Evian bottle on your desk and reduce the trail of watermarked glasses piled up in your kitchen, by picking up a refillable sports bottle. The benefits are stacked in their favour. Especially after new research found picking the wrong water bottle can expose you to more germs than a dog bowl. Sounds ruff.

You can throw one in your kit bag without it losing its shape, and then pop the lid to drain it – helping you to meet the 200 to 300ml of water you need to consume every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.

Better still, the latest refillable models are BPA-free. While your mineral bottled water that costs under a pound might seem cheap, studies show a link between the chemical found in that plastic (bisphenol A or BPA) to certain cancers.

To help you sidestep the health risks, we’ve compiled the newest BPA-free refillable water bottles out there and sent them for testing with the scientists at Nottingham University’s Environmental Technology Centre. They analysed if the bottles were tough enough to keep up with your training (1m drop test), whether they lost their shape under pressure (compression testing), kept the water cool (thermometer temperature test) and finally, how well they filtered the water (with a chlorine photometer).

The results will help you find the bottle for you, so the only thing you need to do is start hydrating.

A larger spout makes drinking easy, whether you’re on the fly or in between sets. The wide nozzle also makes it simple to fill up at the water fountain and a push button opens and closes the lid, so there’s less chance of wearing your water, rather than drinking it.

The lab stats

Durability: 8/10
Comfort: 8/10
Design: 6/10
Value for money: 7/10

Our experts say:

The leak-proof lock is a good idea, but it does take getting the hang of. It scored brilliantly on ease of drinking and the extra grip on the bottle is a welcome workout function. It’s dishwasher proof too, so more convenient to keep clean.

This stainless-steel model is ideal for weekend warriors and it hooks to a belt or harness. The wide opening of the mouth means you can upgrade your water with fruit or ice and the material will keep its cool longer than you will. While it’s the most expensive offering here, it delivers for the price.

The lab stats

Durability: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Value for money: 8/10

Our experts say:

The steel is brilliantly durable, though it can feel fuller than it really is, which can catch you out on longer trips. Far and away the winner of our temperature test.

For under £10 you get a lightweight bottle complete with a filter that removes the chlorine from tap water. Ergonomically shaped for better grip, you’ll struggle to drop it, though if you do it is flimsier than most options. Email reminders to change the filter keep your pure.

The lab stats

Durability: 3/10
Comfort: 7.5/10
Design: 6/10
Value for money: 6/10

Our experts say:

It felt light even when it was filled, but in the testing it was susceptible to breakage, so training inside, rather than out and about is advised.

It’s great for filtering and you don’t have to think about replacing the filter for two months, which makes things simpler.

It might look like a Capri-Sun but don’t be fooled. A surprising substantiation capacity makes this ideal for a weekend trek and once it’s empty, roll it up into your rucksack and forget about it. You bite the lid to release the water so you won’t have to worry about it leaking or sloshing about as you slurp away.

The lab stats

Durability: 7/10
Comfort: 5/10
Design: 5/10
Value for money: 6.5/10

Our experts say:

The small mouth opening is limiting but in tests, this surprised us the most because it’s much stronger than it looks. It withstood pressure in compression testing, and then bounced back into shape, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking.

Despite mixing all the plus points of the other bottles on test, this still comes in at under a tenner. The clear bottle filters water, it has a secure lid so you can put it in the same bag as your iPad without fretting and its shape makes it desk-appropriate. It could be easier to handle when you’re working out, but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to its positives.

The lab stats

Durability: 8/10
Comfort: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10

Our experts say:

The design is simple and elegant. Plus the lid, while sturdy, is easy to open. Out of all the models tested, this one was the best for ease of drinking and cleaning. It filtered out chlorine brilliantly, kept the water cool and withstood being dropped.

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